Education in France 379033 225842466 2008-07-15T17:32:10Z Kessler 122910 /* Grandes écoles & CPGE */ {{Life in France}} [[Image:EducationFr.svg|thumb|350px|Schoolsystem in France]] The '''French educational system''' is highly centralised, organised, and ramified. It is divided into three different stages: * primary education (''enseignement primaire''); * secondary education (''enseignement secondaire''); * higher education (''enseignement supérieur''). Primary and secondary education are predominantly public (private schools also exist, in particular a strong nationwide network of primary and secondary [[Catholic education]]), while higher education has both public and private elements. The [[Programme for International Student Assessment]], coordinated by the [[OECD]], currently ranks France's education as the 25th best in the world, being neither significantly higher nor lower than the OECD average. [http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/42/8/39700724.pdf] ==History== [[Image:Julesferry.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Jules Ferry]] {{main|Jules Ferry laws}} While the French trace the development of their educational system to [[Charlemagne]], the modern era of French education begins at the end of the nineteenth century. [[Jules Ferry]], a lawyer holding the office of Minister of Public Instruction in the 1880s, is widely credited for creating the modern Republican school (''l'école républicaine'') by requiring all children under the age of 15 -- boys and girls -- to attend. He also made public instruction [[Free education|free of charge]] and [[secular education|secular]] (''[[Laïcité|laïque]]''). {{Infobox Education| country name = France | agency image = [[Image:Education nationale logo.gif]] | agency = [[Ministry of National Education (France)|Ministry of National Education]] | leader titles = [[Minister of National Education (France)|Minister]]<br>Deputy Minister | leader names = [[Xavier Darcos]] | budget = €64.6 billion | budget year = 2009 | discretionary = | mandatory = | primary languages = [[French language|French]] | system type = Central | established events = | established dates = | literacy year = 2003| literacy rank = N/A | literacy total = 99<sup>1</sup> | literacy men = 99 | literacy women = 99 | enroll total = 15.0 million<sup>2</sup> | enroll primary = 6.7 million | enroll secondary = 4.8 million | enroll post-secondary = 2.3 million<sup>3</sup> | attain secondary = 79.7% | attain post-secondary = 27% | footnotes = <sup>1</sup>As of 2004, literacy rates are no longer collected within [[INSEE]] censuses.<br /><sup>2</sup>Includes private education.<br /><sup>3</sup>Includes universities, CPGE, and technical schools. }} All educational programmes in [[France]] are regulated by the Ministry of National Education (officially called ''Ministère de l'éducation nationale, de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche''). The head of the ministry is the [[Minister of National Education (France)|Minister of National Education]], one of the highest-ranking officials in the cabinet. As of May 2007, the Minister is [[Xavier Darcos]]. The teachers in public primary and secondary schools are all state [[civil servants]], making the ''ministère'' the largest employer in the country. [[Professors]] and [[researchers]] in France's universities are also employed by the state. At the primary and secondary levels, the [[curriculum]] is the same for all French students in any given grade, which includes public, semi-public and subsidised institutions. However, there exist specialised sections and a variety of options that students can choose. The reference for all French educators is the ''Bulletin officiel de l'éducation nationale, de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche (B.O.)'' which lists all current programmes and teaching directives. It is amended many times every year. [http://www.education.gouv.fr/bo/default.htm Find ''B.O.'' archives on the Ministry's official website] ===''Académie'' system=== In France, academic councils called ''académies'' (English : academies) are responsible for supervising all aspects of University education in a given region. Universities are answerable to their ''académie'', and the ''académies'' are answerable to the Ministry of Education. However, private universities are independent of the state and therefore independent of the ''académies''. French territory is divided into 35 ''académies'', 26 of which are located in mainland France and 9 in [[DOM-TOM|French overseas territories]]. One ''académie'' often spans a few ''[[départements]]'', the most commonly used administrative unit in [[France]]. ''Académies'' also cover French schools located abroad so that the [[Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle]] in London, for example, falls under the jurisdiction of the [[Lille]] ''académie''. The ''académie'' headquarters (termed ''rectorat'') is usually located in the largest city in the concerned territory. It is headed by a ''recteur''. The main responsibility of the ''académie'' is to manage personnel and state budgets pertaining to the education system. It serves as a link between regional specificities and the centralised governing body in [[Paris]]. It ensures the implementation of the official educational programmes produced by the Ministry. At one level down in the national education hierarchy, each ''département'' also has its own 'inspection académique' (academic inspection), headed by an ''inspecteur d'académie'' (academy inspector). Note that the ''académie'', as an education-based territorial unit, has no relation with l'[[Académie française]], the authoritative body concerning the [[French language]]. ===School calendar=== [[Image:French school zones.svg|right|The different ''Académies'' and school zones in France]] {| class="wikitable" align="left" width="40%" |- ! Zone ! ''Académies'' |- ! A | Caen, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Rennes, Toulouse |- ! B | Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Besançon, Dijon, Lille, Limoges, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Poitiers, Reims, Rouen, Strasbourg |- ! C | Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris, Versailles |} In the [[Metropolitan France|Metropolitan]] territory, the school year extends from early-September to early-July. Most students have finished their year by [[Bastille Day]], [[14 July]]. The school calendar is standardised throughout the country, and is the sole domain of the ministry. For the 2005-2006 school year, the first day of classes across the country was [[2 September]] [[2005]]. The year ends on [[4 July]] [[2006]]. In secondary schools, the year may finish before these days because the schools need time to organise the exams (for example, the [[Baccalauréat]] ). In [[French overseas departments and territories]], the school calendar is set by the local ''recteur''. Major holiday breaks are as follows: * [[All Saints]] (''la Toussaint''), one and a half weeks around the end of October and the beginning of November; * [[Christmas]] (''Noël''), two weeks around [[Christmas Day]] and [[New Year's Day]]; * winter (''hiver''), two weeks starting in mid-February; * spring (''printemps'') or [[Easter]] (''Pâques'') , two weeks starting in mid-April; * summer (''été''), two months starting in early-July. All Saints, Christmas and summer holidays occur simultaneously across the country. For the winter and spring holidays, the country is divided into three zones (A, B, and C) and each zone's holiday dates are shifted by one or two weeks to prevent families from crowding up in popular destinations such as ski and seashore resorts. [http://www.education.gouv.fr/pid184/le-calendrier-scolaire.html?annee=2&dept= Obtain the official school calendar] ==Primary education==<!-- This section is linked from [[Mayotte]] --> {| class="wikitable" align="right" |- | colspan=3 align=center bgcolor=#ccf| '''''Maternelle''''' ('''Kindergarten''') |- |- align="center" style="background:#efefef;" ! Age ! Grade ! Abbreviation |- ! 3 -> 4 | Petite section | PS |- ! 4 -> 5 | Moyenne section | MS |- ! 5 -> 6 | Grande section | GS |- | colspan=3 align=center bgcolor=#ccf| '''''École élémentaire''''' ('''Primary school''') |- |- align="center" style="background:#efefef;" ! Age ! Grade ! Abbreviation |- ! 6 -> 7 | Cours préparatoire | CP / 11ème |- ! 7 -> 8 | Cours élémentaire première année | CE1 / 10ème |- ! 8 -> 9 | Cours élémentaire deuxième année | CE2 / 9ème |- ! 9 -> 10 | Cours moyen première année | CM1 / 8ème |- ! 10 -> 11 | Cours moyen deuxième année | CM2 / 7ème |} Schooling in [[France]] is required and mandatory as of age 6, the first year of primary school. Many parents start sending their children earlier though, around age 3 as [[nursery]] classes (''maternelle'') are usually affiliated to a borough's primary school. Some even start earlier at age 2 in ''pré-maternelle'' classes, which are essentially [[daycare]] centres. The last year of ''maternelle'', ''grande section'' is an important step in the educational process as it is the year in which pupils are introduced to [[reading (activity)|reading]]. After nursery, the young students move on to [[primary school]]. It is in the first year (''cours préparatoire'') that they will learn to write and develop their reading skills. Much akin to other educational systems, French primary school students usually have a single teacher (or perhaps two) who teaches the complete curriculum, such as [[French language|French]], [[mathematics]], [[science]] and [[humanities]] to name a few. Note that the French word for a teacher at the primary school level is ''professeur'' (previously called ''instituteur'', or its feminine form '' institutrice''). Religious instruction is not supplied by public schools. ''[[Laïcité]]'' (secularism) is one of the main precepts of the [[France|French republic]]. Pupils therefore have [[civics]] courses to teach them about ''la République'', its function, its organisation, and its famous motto ''[[Liberté, égalité, fraternité]]'' (Freedom, equality, brotherhood). In a March 2004 ruling, the French government banned all "conspicuous religious symbols" from schools and other public institutions with the intent of preventing [[proselitism|proselytisation]] and to foster a sense of tolerance among ethnic groups. Some [[religious]] and [[libertarian]] groups showed their opposition, saying the law hindered the freedom of religion as protected by the French constitution. {{seealso|French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools}} ==Secondary education== {| class="wikitable" align="right" |- | colspan=3 align=center bgcolor=#ccf| '''''Collège''''' ('''Junior High''') |- |- align="center" style="background:#efefef;" ! Age ! Grade ! Abbreviation |- ! 11 -> 12 | Sixième | 6<sup>e</sup> |- ! 12 -> 13 | Cinquième | 5<sup>e</sup> |- ! 13 -> 14 | Quatrième | 4<sup>e</sup> |- ! 14 -> 15 | Troisième | 3<sup>e</sup> |- | colspan=3 align=center bgcolor=#ccf| '''''Lycée''''' ('''High school''') |- |- align="center" style="background:#efefef;" ! Age ! Grade ! Abbreviation |- ! 15 -> 16 | Seconde | 2<sup>nde</sup> |- ! 16 -> 17 | Première | 1<sup>ere</sup> |- ! 17 -> 18 | Terminale | Term or Tle |} {{main|Secondary education in France}} French secondary education is divided into two schools: * the ''collège'' for the first four years directly following [[primary school]]; * the ''lycée'' for the next three years. The completion of secondary studies leads to the ''[[baccalauréat]]''. ===''Brevet des collèges''=== The [[Brevet des collèges]] is the first official diploma a pupil has to sit. It is not required in order to enter [[high school]] (lycée).<br /> The school marks for the whole of the final year (3ème) and the year before it (4ème) are taken into account for half of the mark. However, starting from 2007, only the marks from the final year (3ème) will be taken into consideration. The other half of the mark consists of the final exam, the brevet. Pupils are only tested on French, mathematics and history/ geography for the exam. ===''Baccalauréat''=== {{seesubarticle|Baccalauréat}} The ''baccalauréat'' (also known as ''bac'') is the end-of-''lycée'' diploma students sit for in order to enter [[university]], a ''classe préparatoire'', or professional life. It is generally taken at 18 if the pupil has not repeated a class during secondary school. The term ''baccalauréat'' refers to the diploma and the examinations themselves. It is comparable to English & Welsh [[Advanced Level (UK)|A-Levels]], [[United States|American]] [[SAT]]s or [[ACT (examination)|ACT]]s, the [[Ireland|Irish]] [[Leaving Certificate]], Australia's [[Higher School Certificate]] and the [[Germany|German]] [[Abitur]]. Most students sit for the ''baccalauréat général'' which is divided into 3 streams of study, called ''séries''. The ''série scientifique'' (S) is concerned with the [[natural sciences]], physics or mathematics (a lot of streams exist, one of which is called ''série scientifique sciences de l'ingénieur'' (SSI), a ''série scientifique'' baccalauréat with two more specialisations, ''génie électrique'' and ''génie mécanique''. There is also the ''Bac STI'', ''Sciences & industrial technologies''. There also exists the ''option génie mécanique'' & the ''options electrotechnique''), the ''série économique et sociale'' (ES) with [[social sciences]], and the ''série littéraire'' (L) focuses on [[French language|French]] and [[language|foreign languages]] and [[philosophy]]. However, these ''séries'' are not exactly specialisations and every ''bac''-possessor has the right to integrate any public university in the catchment area if this applies to the subject they wish to apply for. Students having followed the L series do not have enough scientific knowledge from high school alone to succeed in science university courses, therefore some combinations of baccalauréats and university courses are very rare. There is also the ''baccalauréat technologique'' and ''baccalauréat professionnel''. ==Higher Education== Higher education in France is divided into [[grandes écoles]] and universities. Grandes écoles are considered more prestigious than universities and their selection procedure is highly competitive. For example, the most prestigious engineering grande école, [[École Polytechnique]], has around 12,000 candidates for 400 places. A striking trait of French higher education, compared with other countries, is the small size and multiplicity of establishments, each specialised in a more or less broad spectrum of areas. A middle-sized French city, such as [[Grenoble]] or [[Nancy]], may have 2 or 3 universities (for instance: science / sociological studies), and also a number of engineering and other specialised higher education establishments. In [[Paris]] and its suburbs there are 13 universities, none of which is specialised in one area or another, and a large number of smaller institutions which are highly specialised. It is not uncommon for graduate teaching programmes ([[master's degree]]s, the course part of [[PhD]] programmes etc.) to be operated in common by several institutions, allowing the institutions to present a larger variety of courses. In engineering schools such as [[École Polytechnique]], a large share of the teaching staff is often made up of non-permanent professors; instead, part-time professors are hired to teach one specific point only. These part-time professors are generally hired from neighbouring universities, research institutes, or industries. Another original feature of the French higher education system is that a large share of the scientific research is not done by universities, but by research establishments such as [[CNRS]] or [[INSERM]]. In many cases, the research units of those establishments are installed inside universities (or other higher education establishments), and jointly operated by the research establishment and the university. These traits can cause international [[university ranking]]s to underestimate French universities due to the criteria used {{Fact|date=May 2008}}, but in spite of this the Times world universities ranking placed the [[École Polytechnique]] tenth among world universities, and the Professional Ranking of world universities placed it fourth among all world universities, and the [[HEC School of Management|HEC Paris]] fifth. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} ===Tuition Costs=== Since higher education is funded by the state, the fees are very low; the tuition varies from 150€ to 700€ depending on the university and the different levels of education. (''licence, master, doctorate''). One can therefore get a Master's degree (in 5 years) for about 750-3,500€. Additionally, students from low-income families can apply for scholarships, paying nominal sums for tuition or textbooks, and can get a monthly stipend of up to 450€/month. The tuition in public engineering schools is comparable to universities, albeit a little higher (around 700€). However it can reach 7000€ a year for private engineering schools, and some business schools, which are all private or partially private, charge up to 12000€ a year. Health insurance for students is free (if they get a scholarship) until the age of 25, so only the living costs and books expenses have to be added. Although this is the case in many schools, some public schools have other ways of gaining money. Some do not receive sufficient funds from the government to hold many trips, and so these schools may ask for a small (optional) entrance fee for new students. ===Universities in France=== The public universities in France are named after the big cities near which they are located, followed by a numeral if there are several. Paris, for example, has thirteen universities, labelled Paris I to XIII. Most of them are, however, not in [[Paris]] itself, but in the suburbs. In addition, most of the universities have taken a more informal name which is usually the one of a personality or a particular place. Sometimes, it is also a way to honour a famous alumnus, for example the science university in Strasbourg is known as "Université [[Louis Pasteur]]" while its official name is "Université Strasbourg I". The French system is currently undergoing a reform, the [[Bologna process]], which aims at creating European standards for university studies, most notably a similar time-frame everywhere, with three years devoted to the Bachelor's degree ("licence" in French), two for the Master's, and three for the doctorate. French universities have also adopted the ECTS credit system (for example, a licence is worth 180 credits). However the traditional curriculum based on end of semester examinations still remains in place in most universities. This double standard has added complexity to a system which also remains quite rigid. It is difficult to change a major during undergraduate studies without losing a semester or even a whole year. Students usually also have few course selection options once they enroll in a particular diploma. France also hosts various branch colleges of foreign universities. These include the [[University of London Institute in Paris]] and the [[American University in Paris]]. {{seealso|List of public universities in France}} ===''Grandes écoles'' & ''CPGE'' === {{main|Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles}} The ''[[Grandes écoles]]'' of France are higher education establishments outside the mainstream framework of the public [[university|universities]]. They are generally focused on a single subject area, such as [[engineering]] or business, have a moderate size, and are often quite selective in their admission of students. They are widely regarded as prestigious, and traditionally have produced most of France's scientists and [[corporate officer|executives]]. The ''classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles'' (CPGE) is a prep course with the main goal of training students for enrollment in a ''[[Grandes écoles|Grande École]]'' ; of which the best-known and most prestigious are [[Lycée Saint-Louis]], [[Lycée Louis-Le-Grand]], [[Lycée Henri IV]] and [[Lycée privé Sainte-Geneviève]]. Admission to the CPGE is usually based on performance during the last two years of high school, called ''Première'' and ''Terminale''. The CPGE programs are located within high schools but pertain to tertiary education, which means that each student must have successfully passed their ''[[Baccalauréat]]'' (or equivalent) to be admitted in CPGE. Each CPGE receives the files of hundreds of applicants worldwide every year during April and May, and selects its new students under its own criteria. A few CPGE programmes, mainly the private CPGEs (which account for 10% of CPGEs), also have an interview process or look at a student's involvement in the community. CPGE programmes have a nominal duration of two years, but the second year is sometimes repeated once, mostly in the scientific sections, where the student then gains the status of ''cinq demi'' ("five halves"), for he was only a ''trois demi'' ("three halves") during his first second year. The explanation behind these names is that the most coveted engineering school is the [[Ecole Polytechnique]], nicknamed the X (as the mathematical [[variable|unknown]]). In French, a student is said to integrate a school when she or he is are allowed to enroll in it. A student is called a 3/2 if he integrates the Ecole Polytechnique between his first and second year of preparatory class since the [[integral]] of x from 1 to 2 is 3/2. The same idea is valid for "cinq demi", since the integral of x from 2 to 3 is 5/2. Students enrolled in their second second-year are also called "carrés" (squares), and a few turn to "cubes" for a third and final second-year. These terms probably stem from repeated attempts at applying to "X" (Polytechnique), yielding <math>x^2</math> and <math>x^3</math>. Some ambitious professors encourage their top students to eschew admittance to other prestigious schools in order to try their hand at X one more time. Despite this high standard, the 30,000 students in classes préparatoires must face the fact that they will not all go to the [[Ecole Polytechnique]]. The renowned engineering schools [[Centrale Paris]], [[Supélec]], [[École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris]], [[École nationale des ponts et chaussées]], [[École nationale supérieure des télécommunications]], [[Supaéro]], [[ESPCI]] or [[École nationale supérieure d'arts et métiers]] , all member schools of [[ParisTech]] are also a proud goal to obtain for these students. The oldest CPGEs are the scientific ones, which can only be accessed by scientific [[Baccalauréat|Bacheliers]]. Scientific CPGE are called MPSI ("Mathematics, Physics and Engineering Science"), PCSI ("Physics, Chemistry, and Engineering Science") or PTSI ("Physics, Technology, and Engineering Science") in the first year, MP ("Mathematics and Physics"), PSI ("Physics and Engineering Science"), PC ("Physics and Chemistry") or PT ("Physics and Technology") in the second year. The classes which specifically train students for admission to the elite [[École Normale Supérieure|Écoles Normales Supérieures]] or [[Ecole Polytechnique]] have an "*" added to their name, e.g. MP*. First year CPGE students are called the 'Math Sup' - or ''Hypotaupe'' - (Sup for "Classe de Mathématiques Supérieures", superior in French, meaning post-high school), and second years 'Math Spé' - or ''Taupe'' - (Spés standing for "Classe de Mathématiques Spéciales", special in French). The students of these classes are called ''Taupins''. Both the first and second year programmes include as much as sixteen hours of mathematics teaching per week, ten hours of physics, two hours of philosophy, two to four hours of (one or two) foreign languages teaching and two to three hours of minor options: either ''SI'', Engineering Industrial Science or ''Theoretical Computer Science'' (including some programming using the [[Pascal programming language|Pascal]] or [[Categorical Abstract Machine Language|CaML]] programming languages, as a practical work). With this is added several hours of homework, which can rise as much as the official hours of class. A known joke among those students is that they are becoming monks for two years. Sometimes three. The literary and humanities CPGEs have also their own nicknames, ''Hypokhâgne'' for the first year and ''Khâgne'' for the second year. The students are called the ''khâgneux''. These classes prepare for schools such as [[École Normale Supérieure|Écoles Normales Supérieures]], [[Ecole des Chartes]], and sometimes [[Institut d'études politiques|Sciences Po]]. There are also CPGE which are focused on economics (who prepare the admission in [[:Category:Business schools in France|business schools]]). These later are known as "Prépa EC" and are split in two parts ("prépa EC spe mathematics" , generally for those who graduated the baccalaureat S and "prépa EC spe éco" , for those who were in the economics section in the lycée.). The most famous of those business schools are [[HEC School of Management]], [[ESSEC]], [[ESCP-EAP]], [[EM Lyon]], [[EDHEC]] which propose a Master degree and an MBA. The students of CPGE are also matriculated in universities, and can rejoin college in case of failure of their ''grandes écoles'' ambitions or if they just do not wish to become engineers and feel not able to pass the ''[[École Normale Supérieure|Écoles Normales Supérieures]]'' competitive examinations. The ratio of students who failed to enter ''grandes écoles'' is low in the scientifics and economics CPGE, but high in humanities, for the only ''Grandes Écoles'' aimed in these classes are the [[École Normale Supérieure|Écoles Normales Supérieures]]. The amount of work required of the students is exceptionally high. {{Fact|date=July 2008}}In addition to class time and homework, students spend several hours each week completing exams and 'colles' (very often written 'khôlles' to look like a Greek word, this way of writing being initially a ''khâgneux'' joke). The so called 'colles' are unique to French academic education in CPGEs. They consist of oral examinations twice a week, in maths, physics, French and the foreign languages, usually English and Spanish. Students, usually in groups of three, spend an hour facing a professor alone in a room, answering questions and solving problems. In CPGE littéraires (humanities), the system of 'colles' is different; they are taken every quarter in every subject. Students have one hour to prepare a short presentation that takes the form of a French-style ''dissertation'' (a methodologically codified essay, typically structured in 3 parts: thesis, counter-thesis, and synthesis) in history, philosophy, etc. on a given topic, and that of a ''commentaire composé'' (a methodologically codified commentary) in literature and foreign languages; as for the Ancient Greek or Latin, they involve a translation and a commentary. The student then has 20 minutes to present his work to the teacher, who ends the session by asking some questions on the presentation and on the corresponding topic. 'Colles' are regarded as extremely stressful, particularly due to the high standards expected by the teachers, and the subsequent harshness that may be directed at students who do not perform adequately, but they are important in as much as they prepare the students, from the very first year, to the oral part of the competitive examination, reserved to the happy few who successfully pass the written part. ===Recruitment of teachers=== Decades ago, primary teachers were educated in Ecoles Normales and secondary teachers recruited through the "Agrégation" examination. The situation has been diversified by the introduction in the 1950s of the CAPES examination for secondary teachers and in the 1990s by the institution of "Instituts Universitaires pour la Formation des Maîtres" (IUFM). University teachers are recruited by special commissions, and are divided between: * "teachers-researchers" (enseignants-chercheurs), with at least a doctorate: they teach classes and conduct research in their field of expertise with a full tenure. They are either Maître de Conférences (Senior lecturers), or Professeurs (Professors). Only a Professor can be the director of studies for a PhD student. * secondary school teachers who have been permanently "detached" from their original school position to teach in a university. They are not required to conduct any research but teach twice as many hours as the "teachers-researchers". They are called PRAG (professeurs agrégés) and PRCE (professeurs certifiés). ==CampusFrance== CampusFrance is the product of the merger of Agence EduFrance and two other key routes for university and scientific mobility, CROUS and EGIDE. CNOUS and EGIDE manage French government scholarships as well as programmes for university cooperation sponsored by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Education, Advanced Instruction and Research have brought about the creation of CampusFrance through a collaboration to attract the best international students for higher education in France and to simplify their admission procedure to universities. The CampusFrance website is the one-stop, total information portal to satisfy all queries regarding Studying in France . France offers 30,000 higher education programmrs in French and English, the most popular courses amongst them being from the areas of Engineering, Management, Gastronomy, Travel & Tourism, Hotel Management and Fashion. The cultural vibrancy and rich historical heritage of France help make the study period a decidedly enriching experience. Many French universities and management schools have collaborations with schools from various European countries which makes studies possible in two or more European nations within the duration of a single programme. ==Statistics for education in France== The [[French Republic]] has 63 million inhabitants, living in the 22 regions of metropolitan [[France]] and four overseas departments (1.7 million). Despite the fact that the population is growing slightly (up 0.4% a year), the number and proportion of young people under 25 is, however, falling. There are now fewer than 19 million young people in metropolitan France, or 32% of the total population, compared with 40% in the 1970s and 35% at the time of the 1990 census. France is seeing a slow aging of the population — less marked however than in other neighbouring countries ([[Germany]] and [[Italy]]), especially as the annual number of births is currently increasing slightly. 18 million pupils and students, i.e. a quarter of the population, are in the education system. Of these, over 2 million are in [[higher education]]. In 1999, France's [[GDP]] was close to FF 9,000 billion (EUR 1,330 billion), i.e. FF 150,000 (EUR 22,000) per inhabitant. Of this total, just over FF 600 billion (EUR 95 billion) were devoted to initial or continuing education: 7.2% of GDP. As far as school education spending is concerned, France is in a middle position, behind the Nordic countries ([[Sweden]] and [[Denmark]]), but fairly significantly ahead of [[Italy]] and [[Japan]]. ==See also== CampusFrance[http://www.campusfrance.org/en] * [[Minister of National Education (France)]] * [[Agence pour l'Enseignement Français à l'Etranger]] * [[Home Education in France]] * [[University of London Institute in Paris]] {{Education in Europe}} [[Category:Education in France|*]] [[de:Französisches Schulsystem]] [[es:Educación en Francia]] [[fr:Système éducatif français]] [[ko:프랑스의 교육제도]] [[ja:フランスの教育]] [[pl:Oświata we Francji]] [[sv:Utbildning i Frankrike]] [[zh:大学校预科班]]